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The width of a slit is a. A lens of focal length f is kept just next to the slit. Light of wavelength λ is made normally incident on the slit. The size of the central maximum on the screen is

Asked in GSEB Board March 2022 · Single slit diffraction

Answer: (4) (2fλ)/a

Step-by-step solution

Given: a slit of width a with a lens of focal length f right behind it, light of wavelength λ at normal incidence, and the pattern collected in the focal plane of the lens.

Idea: the lens brings all the light diffracted in one direction θ to a single point at y=fθ in its focal plane, so f plays the part the screen distance plays without a lens.

The first minima of a single slit lie at sin θ=±λ/a, and the angle is small, so θ≈λ/a.

Half-width on the screen: y=fθ=(fλ)/a.

The central maximum reaches the first minimum on each side of the axis, so its size is 2y.

Size =(2fλ)/a.

Why the other options are wrong

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